Format

2016 AWT Divisions:

Qualification for the Pro bracket will be according to;
Qualification via experience
Winning a previous year Amateur overall title
Head Judge’s discretion

There may be times when it is advantageous to fill empty spots in the Pro bracket, if this is deemed appropriate then these spots will be offered to Amateur riders according to a number of criteria outlined below, weather condition and number of places available. Riders wanting to maintain their Amateur ranking can be allowed to enter a maximum of two Pro events without loosing their Amateur status in any given season.

The inclusion of Amateur riders in the Pro bracket is intended to be offered as a development opportunity for riders looking to move into the Pro bracket in future seasons as well as enriching the Pro bracket at any one event. At no time should the eventual conclusion of the Pro bracket be compromised by this process and it may be deemed that any empty spaces may or may not be awarded. Where there is a situation not covered by this statement the Head Judge’s discretion will be used and be final.

Seeding
Riders are seeded according to their AWT Rolling Ranking which is calculated from the best 4 results from the previous 6 events, hence a whole year of data is always being used. If a PWA rider with a current or previous year top 10 ranking enters an AWT event then the Head Judge reserves the right to use discretion in the seeding process.

Participants best 3 placings in the 2016 American Windsurfing Tour will count in the final tally for overall winners. Points will be awarded in each event with the winner scoring maximum points. Winners will be awarded at each individual event and the overall tour champions will be announced at the ceremony following the tour finale in Maui. In the event of a tie in the Overall Rank, a 1-heat sail off will be run. If time or wind does not allow the 1-heat sail off, the tie will be broken by the rider placing highest in the final event. If the final event does not happen due to conditions, the tie will be broken by the rider placing highest in their previously dropped 4th event. Points will be awarded as follows:

Judging Criteria

Wave Riding Notes

Wave ride scores will be based on: Wave height, turns in critical sections, angles in the turns, length of ride, completion of tricks, technical skills demonstrated and wow factor to the judges. Things to consider when selecting your wave: size, caught at peak, speed, continuity, length of ride, functional moves [ex. bottom turns], tricks, vertical riding, progressive moves, use of rail, linking sections, number and quality of turns (critical section), aerials, moves/tricks using the wave and landing back on the wave. Turns made in the critical part of the wave will be judged: Highly! The more critical the section, the tighter the turns and harder the hit, the better the score. We want to see big connected hits in the right spots. Timing is a big factor in wave performance. Best scores will be given for critical riding in the power of the wave, going most vertical, use of your rail, and continuation along the peeling wave. Basically, staying as close to the power of the wave while going vertical and making use of the whole wave will score highest.

Jumping Notes

Jump scoring will be based on: Difficulty of the move, height, execution and landing, how clean, how smooth, creativity, some reward for pushing new moves but landing is much better. The highest scoring jump of each type will be counted. In the case where two jumps are being counted they need to be different moves, or different variations of the same move. Judges will be scored according to the level of execution and the difficulty of the move and the details below are for guide purposes only;

• Straight jump – 1 to 3 average – could be more depending on height and style, one handed, rail grab etc. adds 0.2 – 1.0 points• Table Top – 3 to 4 average – could be higher for depending on degree of tweak, one handed adds 0.2 – 1.0 points• Forward Loop – 3.5 to 5.5 average – could be more depending on height and style, one handed adds 0.2 – 1.0 points• Push Loop – 4 to 6 average – could be more depending on height and style, one handed adds 0.2 – 1.0 points• Back Loop – 6 to 8 average – could be more depending on height and style, one handed adds 0.2 – 1.0 points, one footed adds 0.2 – 1.0 points• Tweaked Push Loop – 6.5 to 8.5 – could be more depending on tweak, height, and style, one handed adds 0.2 – 1.0 points• Double Forward – 9 to 10 depending on style, height etc.• Pushloop Forward – 9.5 to 10 depending on style, height etc.• Other combination moves – points will be awarded by discretion• One handed, rail grabs etc. – these variations add to your score and depending on the style, duration etc. your points will increase between 0.2 and 1.0 points.

Changes – throughout the Tour the judges and organization reserve the right to change and update the judging criteria according to feedback and evaluation of heats, rider comments, sponsor feedback and more.